International Day for Monuments and Sites

International Day for Monuments and Sites (and IDMS in abbreviation) is annually celebrated on April 18th in order to pay attention to the need to preserve the monuments and places that are our cultural heritage and to “celebrate the diversity of this heritage” around the world.

International Day for Monuments and Sites’ history

The history of a place can involve many perspectives. The preservation of cultural heritage requires careful consideration of the past and its practices in order to provide for the future. In recent years, debates about certain stories, and specific stories about others, have come to the fore. Addressing difficult and often controversial historical issues involves complex conversations with diverse stakeholders, avoiding biased views and interpretations of the past.

In 1972, World Heritage Convention shows that the deterioration or disappearance of any item of cultural or natural heritage constitutes a harmful poverty to the heritage of all States in the world. However, an imbalance in the recognition, explanation, and at last, preservation of different cultural expressions persists.

Together with ICOMOS, the UNESCO World Heritage Center supports holistic and diverse perspectives in identifying, preserving and transmitting heritage to future generations.

As a call for greater inclusion and recognition of diversity, International Day for Monuments and Sites invites all of us to reflect, interpret and examine existing stories. One way to get involved is to visit UNESCO World Heritage sites through online exhibits on Google Arts & Culture.

On April 18th 1982, International Day for Monuments and Sites was founded by ICOMOS or the International Council on Monuments and Sites and approved by the UNESCO General Assembly in the following year.

The first International Day for Monuments and Sites or IDMS in abbreviation, held in 2001 under the theme “Save our historic villages”. IDMS received the support from different organizations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

What do you do in International Day for Monuments and Sites?

Here are a few ways to get involved and help save your favorite historic places.

• Students designate a local place to visit that they feel is important to their cultural heritage.
• Attend seminars and conferences on conservation of monuments and heritage.
• Search for a house opened at a monument or heritage site.
• Schools or classes may undertake field trips to monuments or heritage sites.
• Do not forget sharing your opinion and spreading International Day for Monuments and Sites by using the hashtag #IntlDayforMonumentsandSites on social media.